I hit a curb on my Gary Fisher Triton bending the frame. Couldn't afford an expensive replacement so I bought a Motobecane Messenger from Bikes Direct for just under half the price of the Triton. The bike shipped the day I ordered it and arrived ups ground five days later. The bike was well packed and arrived in perfect condition. I have assembled bikes in the past so putting it together wasn't a problem, but for someone with no experience might be challenging. The bike feels a little lighter than my Triton did and is fast, good paint too. I will have to see how this bike lasts but looks like a very good deal for the money. My experience with Bikes Direct was very good.